Boarding Call
Posted on Fri Jul 16th, 2021 @ 4:12am by Willian Targaryen & Ensign Golric Zar & Ensign Yed Quegg & Captain Ryan Walsh & Captain Nathan Bishop & Commander Nathan Hawkins & Commander Jasmine Haynes & Lieutenant Commander Patton O'Sullivan & Lieutenant Cyrus Marner & Lieutenant Bissiv th'Zaanaq & Lieutenant Zoey Parker
2,155 words; about a 11 minute read
Mission:
The Messenger
Location: USS Galileo
Timeline: 0000-00-32, 10:20
TO: Captain Nathan Bishop, Commander Jasmine Haynes
FR: Captain William Targaryen
RE: Mission Orders
It has been no secret that our arrival in this new time period has been problematic from the start. I won't sugarcoat this for either of you, we face a nearly unwinnable scenario at this point. We're running low on critical supplies, the ship's systems are barely functional, and worse we are nearly out of gas. We have plenty of dilithium, but our antimatter supplies are dwindling. If we don't find replacement Deuterium and Anti-Deuterium soon it won't matter that we have dilithium because we'll be dead in the water.
Cold Station 12 may change all that. Established by United Earth and the Denobulans in the 22nd Century as a medical research site, when the Federation formed it was absorbed into Starfleet. Over time it went from being a research site to a black ops facility where some of the most dangerous biological materials and viruses are in storage. Starfleet began shifting additional resources to the site in the late 24th Century in order to establish an emergency depot, known to only the highest ranking of officers, in the event of the Federation experiencing a catastrophic event.
You can't get much more catastrophic than "The Burn."
I am deploying each of you into teams for this mission. Team one will be responsible for looking for supplies that we can use to keep the Enterprise operational. A priority is deuterium and anti-deuterium. As much as it pains me energy generators, shield technology, or weapons should also be sought. Captain Bishop will lead team one. Team two will be assigned to ensure the continued stability of the storage of the biological samples in storage at Cold Station 12. Commander Haynes will be responsible for this assignment.
I have no idea what you will encounter when you reach the station. The Station was originally built into an asteroid, but Starfleet refitted the base with the components from a Regula Series Outpost in the early 25th Century. At the moment the station still matches this configuration. I am optimistic that the station remained in operation until the Burn, but I cannot guarantee this. The Regula Series was long lived but I am not certain if it was meant to live that long.
The most recent layout on file includes:
Deck 1: Communications and Electronics Center
Deck 2: Computer Core and Transporter Rooms
Deck 3: Structural Integrity Field Generators
Deck 4: Engineering Equipment
Deck 5: Cargobays, Communications Equipment, Transporter Equipment,
Deck 6: Cargobays, Shield Generators
Deck 7: Cargobays, Medical Center, Security Office, Thrusters
Deck 8: Sensors, Shuttlebay
Deck 9: Sensors, Shuttlebay
Deck 10: Shuttlebay (Main Level)
Deck 11: Food Preparation and Synthesis, Life-Support Equipment, Shuttlebay Control, Station Operations, Waste Extraction
Deck 12: Engineering
Deck 13: Engineering
Deck 14: Escape Pod Access
Deck 15: Research Level, Transporter Rooms
Deck 16: Arboretum, Crew Quarters
Deck 17 - Deck 33: Biological Sample Storage
In the event that there is a breach of biological sample storage please implement quarantine protocols as soon as possible.
Maintain active communications channels at all times.
Good luck.
Jasmine received her orders on her primary computer, she started the transfer process. Power and supplies were two things that the Enterprise were low on. She hoped the mission to raid Cold Station 12 went without hitch. She hated to use the phrase of raiding, but in essence, that is what they were doing. After a few brief moments, she heard the computer call out. "Download complete."
The computer downloaded more than just the letter and a directory of decks on the station. It also listed basic maps of the facility, and potentially where things could be located. It would be hard to verify. Their data base was outdated, and the information they were able to obtain, could be faulty.
Jasmine was officially a mission advisor, but it felt more like a third in command type of scenario. She retained the rank of Commander, and was assigned assigned to Security upon her re instatement. Which was fine with her, she was more interested in returning home. Back to the 25th century.
Likewise Bishop read the message from the Admiral and he indeed was not sugar coating it. The situation was in a word desperate. They needed supplies and they needed them yesterday. Cold Storage 12 offered a chance at finding and getting the supplies they needed to get the Enterprise back to even a semi functioning state.
He downloaded the message and the files on Cold Storage 12. The deck layout was a help but their information was horrendously outdated. equipment, experiments could have been moved or just done away with. The wouldn't know for sure until they got to the station and saw for themselves first hand.
He was glad to have something to do rather than sit about and feel sorry for their situation. This was a chance to contribute, To help both the ship and crew. To give them a fighting chance at survival. Once they accomplished that. they could take a closer look at their predicament and work on finding answers the main one being how do they return to the 25th century.
Ensign Golric Zar checked the navigational references as he maneuvered the Galileo through the dense asteroid field. The Somerville Class was a small, nimble design that had been based upon the Hernandez Class made famous during the 23rd Century. In many ways they were lucky to have it. He could not imagine trying to navigate Starfleet One itself through the field.
The Cardassian slowed the ship to a quarter impulse as he turned around one of the larger asteroids and jumped up to half impulse as he used the gravity to enhance their speed. When he joined Starfleet One before their mission to Vulcan he had been a shuttle pilot and, now, he was essentially their helmsman. Still, he liked being on the Galileo a bit more.
Adjusting the speed controls he brought up the docking controls as the ship slowed on approach to CS12. He looked over his shoulder at the Captain's Chair, "Captain, we're on final approach now. Do you want me to interface with the station to try to engage automated docking?" He asked as the station appeared on the viewer.
"Please Ensign Zar, I find it much more preferable than having to get out and knock don't you?" Bishop replied with a tight smile as he waited for Zar to line up the Galileo for it's final approach. He just hoped the automated systems were still functional otherwise this trip may have been made for nothing and he wasn't in the mood for failure.
The Ensign brought up the communications protocols and brought the sequence online. The computer monitor displayed the right messages at the right time. 'Connecting to Host,' was the first message that appeared on his screen as he brought the small vessel into position. Slowing the ship to thrusters 'Connection Established' was the next item to show. It looked like it was going to work. Then they got what he dreaded. 'Connection Lost.' Ever since they came to this time period they had so many issues with anything related to subspace. This was yet another example.
After a second attempt he turned away from the panel, "We're unable to engage the automated docking system, Captain. It's a bit odd. The system acknowledged us, we got fairly far in the process, but then it abruptly lost connection." The system beeped again to alert them of the failure, "Case in point."
"Can we transport aboard? Maybe there's something there we can do to help dock the ship?" The Andorian offered. He expected the idea to be shot down merely because he suggested it but he wanted to show his willing to help.
"Their shields are down, Sir, and we are in a bit better shape than our Mothership," the Cardassian offered in support. "I think we could try that option."
"All true." Bishop replied, "However I believe in the old baseball adage of three strikes and your out. Mr. Zar give it one more try before we consider other options." Bishop told the helmsman.
The Helmsman looked at the panel for a moment, "Still nothing. We could try to force a manual docking, but that's a dangerous prospect. We could actually cause any number of catastrophic scenario in the attempt."
"The last thing we want is to damage the Galileo as well," Hawkins added.
"I agree Nathan." Bishop said looking at his friend. "We don't want to damage the Galileo especially unnecessarily." Bishop continued. "Alright, we'll transport over to the station and see if we can dock the ship. Everyone grab a phaser... just to be on the safe side."
The Helmsman looked over his shoulder at the Andorian and gave a polite nod of recognition. He knew that Biss had pressed his luck with many of them and - less than a month ago - nearly killed them all. Nonetheless, he hoped that he could be trusted. They needed someone in this era that would be on their side.
"We're in transporter range."
The Andorian gave the Cardassian helmsman a return nod. He understood what the Ensign was saying and appreciated it. "I'm guessing not everyone gets a phaser." He commented.
Bishop looked at the Andorian, "I said everyone and I mean everyone. Just don't destroy the trust I'm, we're putting in you."
Hawkins glanced over to O'Sullivan to gauge his reaction at Biss being allowed to carry a weapon. Personally he thought Bishop was being a tad premature, his intentions were genuine just ill timed.
Patton's eyes widened. He wasn't pleased with that order and was certain it showed on his face. Giving a weapon to the Andorian just set up another security measure and he hoped this didn't come back to bite them in the face.
At the Science Station, Bolian Ensign Yed Quegg was busily running a scan of the starbase looking for any clues as to what was going on there. The sensors weren't being cooperative, interference still left over from the Burn, but they were getting some preliminary data. It wasn't very encouraging. Bringing up the data on the main monitor of the workstation, the young Bolian couldn't help but shake his head at what he saw.
"There is a lot of interference with our scans of the planet; however, I am not picking up any concrete signs of life on the station," he typed on the keyboard attached to the console. "There was a momentary pickup where I thought I read a life-sign, but it's gone now."
"Could it be a glitch in the system? Some sort of interference?" Bishop asked as he was preparing to beam over to the station.
The Bolian laughed jovially, "We can't rule anything out in a galaxy of the damned, Captain." He resumed typing on the workstation keyboard. "What we do know is that the normal crew complement of a station this size just aren't there. Records indicate CS12 had a complement of 50 specialists, at the moment it doesn't appear there are any there aside from this anomalous reading."
"Is life support still online?" Hawkins asked hoping they could avoid the cumbersome EVA suits Ash had suggested.
"Don't rule anything out." Biss commented as he clipped the primitive phaser to his belt. "Technology has greatly improved in this century. Your sensors might be working fine or they're detecting exactly what others want you to detect."
Quegg nodded as the joviality dropped away, "We've been learning that a lot these days. Still, I do not believe we are in immediate danger at this time."
Marner looked around, the EVA giving him a slight itch on his nose, that he can't scratch. He had to ignore it for the moment. "Curiosity, where was the supposed life glitch in evidence at? Is there way to trace that down?"
The Ensign shook his head, "I'm afraid not. I'm not picking it up any longer. It's possible that it could be a person in stasis, a particle of preanimate matter caught in the sensor matrix, Mister Biss' person hiding, or," he gave a moment of silence, "well in that instance we're too late."
"Alright enough talk. Lets get over there and see what we can see and get the ship docked. "Marner you'll go with Commissioner Haynes away team. Mr. Patton, you'll stay with Biss. Where he goes you go. Nathan, Tlotz you'll with me. You too Patton and Biss. The rest go with Haynes and Marner." Bishop said. This era was giving him a headache.
"Yes Sir." Patton replied. He didn't particularly like the idea of staying behind, was even more unhappy about assigning a weapon to a potenital enemy but orders were orders. He would do his job.
The Andorian gave the Commander a respectful nod. He knew he wasn't trusted but was willing to earn their trust.
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